Monday, February 20, 2017

Week 71 - Caucaia - Walk Until You Fall

What a week.. seriously. I have my new companion, Sister Cruz! She is so small and funny and we have so much fun together!

This week was absolutely exhausting and insane. As you all know, Patrícia and her family moved last week and moved again!! This week was our week to hunt them down. Every day, we walked to the very end of our neighborhood hunting down this beautiful family. After searching every trail, asking every person on the street, knocking on every shack, we came home completely dead every night. Every night, I came home with a smile on my face and trying so hard to stay positive. I knew that The Lord was testing my face and that the advesary was also playing role in the situation. I knew that I had to be strong and not give up. Every time I knocked on a door and it wasn´t them, I struggled to not feel down.

It continued like this Tuesday.. Wednesday.. Thursday.. Friday.. until Saturday. After fasting, pouring my heart out in prayer, and begging for the Lord´s guidance, I woke up with determination to find them to be able to bring them to church Sunday. It was 8:15pm when I was absolutely ready to give up. I was tired. I was sun burnt. I was hungry. I was sad. I was weak, and I wanted to cry. I sat myself on the sidewalk and decided with my companion that I wouldn´t stand up until I recieved some kind of sign from Heavenly Father. About 10 minutes passed by and I decided to look at the woods behind me. Who did I see? Carlos. I screamed his name with the rest of my soul´s energy and he came running! Once again, Pai Celestial gave us one more miracle. We followed Carlos to their new house and found the whole family together. We taught about the Plan of Salvation and testified of The Lord´s love for us. If we give up, we won´t ever deserve the chance to see miracles.

This week I learned how important diligence is. You can always take one more step. Walk until you fall and that will be when The Lord holds out His arms to carry you the rest of the way. I testify with all my heart that THIS is The Lord´s work. I know this family will be eternal one day. If they aren´t some of The Lord´s elects, I don´t know who is. The elects are never easy. Sunday morning we were able to catch a ride with Irmão Marcos to go pick up the family. When we got there, Ana Paulo was standing at the door waiting for us. Crying, she explained to us that her father wouldn´t let them come to church and that if any of them tried to leave, they would all have to answer to him.. It´s one thing after another. I learned that I can´t give up, and I will not give up. The advesary will not win, The Lord will.

So this was my week, getting through one huge trial just to be enfrented with an even bigger one at the end, but that´s life. These are the things that build our testimonies and make us stronger. In a world like we´re in today, we can´t afford to have a weak testimony.

Fátima´s birthday was last night so we stayed with her after church. She´s a less active who is literally crazy, so when she messages you.. it´s better that you ALWAYS respond! hahaha

I love you and hope you have a great week! Keep Patrícia, Ana Paula, Carlos, George, Paulo and Camile in your prayers please.